From Cooking To Engineering, Beaumont Students Gain Life Skills Amid Summer Programs

BEAUMONT, CA — This summer, Beaumont students spent a significant portion of their time off at school launching rockets into the air and preparing gourmet meals thanks to an exciting program called “Career Explorers Summer Lab.”

The kids are feeding their minds and learning new skills that will serve them in life and in their education, according to the Beaumont Unified School District, which offers the free summer program to local middle school students. While tweens and young teens may not be of working age, it does not mean they are not thinking about what they want to be when they grow up, according to a district spokesperson.

Each week, students attended a specific “lab” led by an industry professional. The labs ranged from hands-on lessons in engineering, culinary arts, video production, health care, performing arts, and law enforcement.

Beaumont USD Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ebon Brown shared what this means.

“The approach to educating students
has shifted. We’re still teaching the basics, but we’re also connecting these lessons to real-world
careers,” Brown said. Students can learn how math can relate to a career in engineering or in the culinary arts.

In the culinary arts lab, young students were busy scooping out the perfect fractions of flour and
sugar for gourmet waffles.

Before that, they had learned knife techniques to safely chop, slice, and mince vegetables.

Chef Jonathon Wiener, who goes by “Chef W,” was one of the professional instructors providing lessons. His resume as executive chef for Agua Caliente Casino in Cathedral City shows he has also cooked under the direction of the famous Michelin-rated Chef Gary Menes.

"Chef W" represents the Summer Lab’s model design of using industry expertise, according to the district, before becoming the Beaumont High School’s Career Technical Education Culinary Arts instructor.

As he prepares students for a possible career in the culinary world, Chef W keeps the goals real.

“I truly believe every person should be able to feed themselves a meal if they need to,” he said. "For middle school students who are likely seeking more independence, this is a life skill they can use regardless of their career choice."